Zimbabwe cricket in the dock over illegal payments

Zimbabwe's cricket body was on Monday convicted by a Harare magistrate's court for breaching the country's stiff foreign exchange laws. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), represented by the association's accountant Anesu Kafesu, pleaded guilty to making unauthorised payments to a foreign television company without the go-ahead from the central bank.
The southern African country, reeling under record inflation and a serious shortage of essential goods, fuel and foreign currency, has introduced strict laws on foreign payments which need central bank approval.
State prosecutor Obi Mabahwana said between November 2004 and September last year the body had paid Britain-based television production company Octagon CSI 1.3 million US dollars (976,629 euros) for advertising and marketing services.